Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO)

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Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO)

Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO) organizes communities for racial justice and social change. campaigns to win at the ballot box! We register future voters.

Since 1977, CCO has organized and fought for racial justice and social change for Kansas City, the state of Missouri, and the nation as a whole. Founded in the Blue Hills neighborhood, today we are led by and serve residents of five low life expectancy zip codes in Kansas City: 64109, 64127, 64128, 64130, and 64132. These are majority black, low-income areas (median $26-28k), with large health and life expectancy (15-year) discrepancies compared to wealthier, whiter areas nearby. Rooted in faith but open to all, our organization serves residents by fighting for public policy change at the local, state, and federal level, but also by connecting or even providing residents with direct services. CCO has six campaigns: healthcare access, racial equity, violence prevention, economic dignity, early childhood education, and civic engagement. A snapshot of our work would include: gathering signatures for the Healthy Homes inspection initiative, universal pre-K, Medicaid expansion, restrictions on predatory payday lenders, and a higher minimum wage -- followed by large G.O.T.V. We drive voters to the polls. We help at food banks. We connect people with vaccines. We educate. We tell stories. We organize events, phone and text banking, canvassing, rallies, digital awareness campaigns, and meetings with elected officials to push social justice forward, from helping save the Affordable Care Act to working toward a permanent Child Tax Credit expansion for families. We develop successful partnerships, such as with Our Revolution Kansas City, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City, mayors and councilpersons, local churches like Metropolitan Missionary Baptist, neighborhood associations like Santa Fe, and more. We believe, pace Margaret Mead, that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world!

13/10/2026

We're back, baby.

06/10/2026

Oct. 7 deadline!

28/09/2026

(A Few) Drivers Wanted:

Communities Creating Opportunity is seeking a few more volunteers to drive east side KC residents to the polls on Tuesday, November 3.

Drivers use their own cars and usually work one shift, either morning, mid-day, or late afternoon (in total, Election Riders runs from 6:30am-6:30pm on election day). Potential drivers provide CCO with proof of a valid driver's license, proof of insurance, etc.

If interested in volunteering, send an email to [email protected]. We can't guarantee that everyone who reaches out will be included if we get a large volume of responses; we'll do first-come, first-served to match our expected need for drivers. Happily, our ridership is growing each election, which means more drivers are needed over time.

Thank you!

21/09/2026

PAINT THE POWER!

At CCO’s table at local events this election season, you’ll find visitors painting a mosaic that reflects the hopes, ideas, and voices of our community.

15/09/2026

Let's do this thing! It's National Voter Registration Day, Kansas City. Do you need to register to vote for the Nov. 3 election? Have you changed addresses lately? Do you need to double-check your voter status? Visit the Kansas City Election Board website now! Your deadline is Oct. 7.

11/09/2026

Tomorrow!

Saturday, 9/12/2026 9:30am-Noon Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (2310 E Linwood Blvd) Come help CCO put groceries in cars as they come through the food pantry! Volunteers are to park on the grass lot south of the church, accessed via Linwood Boulevard.

04/09/2026

Read up!

The Respect Missouri Voters plan would make it much harder for lawmakers to overturn voter-approved ballot initiatives.

07/08/2026

Saturday, 8/8/2026 9:30am-Noon Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (2310 E Linwood Blvd) Come help CCO put groceries in cars as they come through the food pantry! Volunteers are to park on the grass lot south of the church, accessed via Linwood Boulevard.

05/08/2026

Well done, Missouri!

03/08/2026

Vote No on 4 & 5

KC, the August 4 primary election is here. Election Day approaches and early voting begins tomorrow. Look up your voting location and sample ballot by clicking here: https://kceb.org/voters/status/

There are many candidates to choose from who will represent the specific party you support in November's general election. But as always, CCO wants to draw your attention to hugely important ballot questions you will vote on.

For instance, KCMO can decide on funding for affordable housing (Question 1). See https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-05-26/kansas-city-is-asking-voters-to-pass-5-bond-and-tax-measures-in-augusts-election-heres-a-guide. We recommend a Yes vote. But...

All Missourians must unite to vote No on Amendments 4 and 5.

Amendment 4 is an attempt to kill the ballot initiative (also called initiative petition). It requires a ballot measure to pass in every state district, instead of the current system of a simple majority from the voters. This would put an end to the progressive measures we the people have passed through statewide vote (like a higher minimum wage), as a single rural district could defeat any measure.

Amendment 5 would phase out Missouri's income tax and replace it with regressive sales taxes. Sales taxes always hurt the poor more than anyone, because they increase the costs of goods needed to survive. But they hurt everyone who isn't rich. Do you really want to pay dramatically more for groceries, gas, utilities, haircuts, and everything else you buy?

Stand up for majority rule and lower costs! Go vote No on 4 and 5.

Read more about these amendments here: https://labortribune.com/vote-no-on-missouri-amendments-4-5-this-august

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Website

http://www.cco.org/

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